Traditional badge of the 26th Panzer Division
The traditional badge of the 26th Panzer Division , colloquially also known as the grenadier head , was an internal troop badge of the 26th Panzer Division of the German Wehrmacht of the same name , which was placed on the left side of the field or visor cap by the relatives in October 1944 with the approval of Adolf Hitler this division was allowed to be carried. This approval also gave the division badge its official legitimation. A corresponding letter dated October 25, 1944, which was in a pay book of a division member, has the following wording:
"The Fuhrer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht decided that the traditional badge of the 26.Pz.Div. (Grenadier head) - worn on the left of the cap - can be retained. "
However, it can be assumed that this was a subsequent wearing permit, that the badge was created sometime between September 14, 1942, the time the division was established and the approval in October 1944.
Background to creation
The emergence of the badge goes back to a dispute over the future division badge of the 26th Panzer Division and the newly established 23rd Infantry Division (23rd ID). The 26th Pz.-Div. was refreshed with the rest of the strength of the old 23rd ID, which had worn the grenadier head in its division badge and now claimed it for itself. However, the management level of the newly established 23rd ID insisted on using the logo of their predecessor division. The disputes over the future division badge took on such a large dimension that Hitler had to intervene and was ended by a decision by the Führer . Hitler awarded the newly established 23rd ID the grenadier head as a division badge, but also in a slightly modified form for the 26th Panzer Division, the shape of which determined the traditional badge.
Appearance and texture
The silver-plated badge of the Preissler company from Pforzheim , made of non-ferrous metal , shows the division coat of arms of the 26th Panzer Division, an antique grenadier head, which is enclosed by a stylized roller of a tank. The middle medallion is open or closed depending on the production variant. The back is smooth and shows the embossed name of the manufacturer as well as a vertically soldered brooch pin or just simple aluminum flaps. The badge was awarded with an award certificate, which was usually signed by Major General Eduard Crasemann or a department commander, as well as an entry in the pay book of the borrower. The badge was still produced unchanged by the Preissler company after the war and was worn on a long pin on the lapel at traditional or regiment meetings of former members of the division.
Number of awards
The exact number of awards of the badge has not yet been published. As of November 1, 1944, i.e. after Hitler's permission to wear it on October 25, 1944, the division had a total strength of 13,027 men. Thus, such award sizes appear most likely. However, it can be assumed that not all members of the division actually received the badge. Contemporary badges are rare and sell for hundreds of euros in today's market.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Internationales Militaria-Magazin July / August 2009, technical report by Uwe Lautenschläger, pages 18–20.
- ↑ Werner Heering, André Hüsken: Catalog of the badges of German organizations 1871-1945. 4th expanded edition. Hausschild Verlag, Bremen 1997, ISBN 3-931785-73-4 .
- ↑ As of December 2010